Pressure vessel for solid carbon dioxide



March 28, 1933. JUQQBDREY Q 1.9035168 PRESSURE VESSEL FOR SOLID CARBON DIOXIDE Filed March 20, 1951 4 f 4 V M gimme sag w. mm

d tfozmq Alma cltbgrd/wy mated Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE ALMON J. CORDREY, OF DETROI'L HICHIGAN, AS SIG-NOR '10 ZERO ICE A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN CORPORATION,

PRESURE VESSEL FOR SOLID CARBON DIOXIDE Application fled larch 20, 1931. Serial No. 524,171.-

This inventionrelates to apparatus for producing carbonic acid for miscellaneous use wherever desired in liquid or gaseous form, and contemplates liquefying carbon dioxide suplplied in solid formand maintaining it un er heavy pressure ready for use.

It is a well known fact that solid carbon dioxide, when exposed to atmospheric temperature and pressure, will sublimate or gasify, without passing through the liquid phase, but,when the pressure is increased sufciently it will liquefy, the liquid occupying about fifty percent more volume than the equivalent weight in solid form, depending 1 upon the density of the solid, i. e., the extent to which it has been compressed. Pressure containers heretofore utilized for liquefying solid carbon dioxide have presented a source of danger from the possibility of overcharg- 2 ing'them with the solid substance, giving rise to excessive pressure due to liquefaction of more carbon dioxide than the containers would hold.

' My invention aims to provide a suitable 2 pressure vessel for receiving and storing and liquefying solid carbon dioxide, and includes a suitable quickly removable closure to facilitate the charging of the solid carbon dioxide into the apparatus, in this respect being an improvement-over existing designs of containers.

Further details of the invention appear from the following description of the illustrative embodyment shown in the accompanyingrdrawing, wherein, i

1g. 1 1s a longitudinal sectional view of a pressure vessel and fittings, thesection being taken on the line 11 in Fig. 4;. i 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cia ingFtaken at right angles to Fig. 1;

ig. 3. is a transverse section on the line 33 in Fig.1; and Fig. 4 is a top view showing the charging end and'closure in position.

In theform illustrated, the pressure vessel 11 has a seamless tubular body of steel or at the lower end to a po1nt, and provided with a threaded opening for an outlet fitting other tough strong metal o illoy, closed in rging'end of the same, the section bev loosened up.

'12, which may be furnished with a valve 13 for drawing off the liquefied carbon dioxide as desired. Near the upper end of the pressure vessel are two threaded openings, one of which may be provided with an outlet fit.- ting 14 for a pipe for drawing oif carbonic acid gas, and the other fitted with a similar outlet 15 for a gauge if desired. In case either is not needed for use, it may be closed by a plug or cap 16.

The top end of the pressure vessel is open to permit charging, and'provided with a suitable closure. In the form of the invention illustrated, the upper end of the tubular body has an encircling flange 31 to strengthen it and support the closure pug 32, which is positioned within the mouth of the container and has-a lip or. rim 33 resting upon the flange 31.

The closure plug has a sealing disk 34 on its inner face, which may be secured in sealing position by meansof a stem 35 extending axially through the closure plug and threaded on its outer end to receive a wheel nut 36 whereby it may be drawn up against the closure plug. A gasket or sealing ring 37 is arranged in a peripheral groove surrounding the inner end of the closure plug, and compressed into the joint between the closure plug and wall of the container by a flange 38 on the sealing disk 34, when the latter is drawn tight by the wheel nut 36; A washer 39 is advantageously inserted between the'wheel nut 36 and closure plug 32. The pressure developed within the containerby the sublimation or gasifying of the carbon dioxide tends to hold the sealing" disk in place and keep the joint tight. v

The closure plug maybe retained in place in the mouth of the container by any suitable quick detachablemeans, as, for example, the bails 40 pivoted on the ends of the pins 41 extending through the flange 31. The operative positions of these bails are shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and the inoperative or charging position is shown in dotted lines, the bails swinging down out of the way to permit the removal of the closure plug and sealing disk as a unit when the sealing disk has been materials and construction of the several x to said receptacle for retaining said plug in The sealin disk 34 is free to move toward be automatically increased as the necessity arises.

A rack 23, preferably made of metal rings 24. and L-shaped bars 25 of steel or other strong material, is provided for supporting the charge of solid carbon dioxide above the lower end of the pressure container so as to leave room below itfor liquefied carbon dioxide. Therack prevents overcharging the pressure vessel with solid carbon dioxide, and thereby serves as a safeguard against the development of excessive pressure therein.

Pressure vessels embodying the invention peg may be located at the place of use, and riodically charged when exhausted of pressure, with solid carbon dioxide in safe amounts, no special precautions against overchargin being necessary. Such vessels may be readlly flushed out and cleaned, and the gasket 37 may be readily replaced whenever necessary to maintain a tlght joint. The compressed blocks of solid carbon dioxide are procurable commercially in sizes and weights convenient for charging such ressure vessels, and may advantageously pressed in cylindrical form to fit loosely within the space for the charge so as to avoid the necessity of breaking or clipping them to get the charges into the vessels,

The invention is not restricted to the form,

parts illustrated; but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows: 1. A pressure vessel for liquefying solid carbon dioxide and the like comprising a tubular receptacle having an open end, a closure plug adapted to engage within said end and removab e therefrom, means secured position, a sealing member on the inner side of said plug having a peripheral flange, a packing means between the flange and plu and means for drawing said member towar s said plug to compress said packing means against the inner wall of said receptacle, said seali member being free to move toward said p ug to further compress said packing means when pressedby gas pressure generated within the receptacle.

2. A pressure vessel for liquefying solid carbon dioxide and the like comprising a tubular rece tacle having an open end, a closure plug a apted to-engage ,within'said end and removable therefrom, means secured to said receptacle for retaining) said plug in position, said retaining means eing readily disengageable to release said plug, a sealing member on the inner side of said plug having a peripheral flan e, a packing means between the flange and p ug, and means for drawing said member towards said plug to compress said packing means against the inner wall of said receptacle, said sealing member being free to move toward said plug to further compress said packing means when pressed by gas pressure generated within the receptacle.

3. Apressure vesselforliquefying solid carbon dioxide and the like comprising a tubular receptacle having an open end, a closure plug having a peripheral flange and adapted to engage agamst and within said end and-removable therefrom, bail means pivotally secured to said receptacle for retaining said plug in position, a sealing member on the inner side of said plug, a packing means between the member and plug, and means for drawing said member towards said plug to compress said packing means against the inner wall of said receptacle, said sealing member being free to move toward said plug to further compress said packing means when pressed by gas pressure generated within the receptacle.

4. In combination with a pressure vessel 11 having an open end, a closure 32 adapted to be inserted in said open end, said closure having an upper peripheral flange 33 as means to restrain movement of the plug into the vessel and having a lower peripheral groove for a packing means 37, a follower 34 carried by sai closure to compress the packing means in said groove, and means 40 on said pressure vessel for engaging and retaining said closure in operative position while permitting its ready removal for charging said pressure vessel. A

5. A pressure vessel for liquefying solid carbon dioxide and the like comprising a tubular receptacle having an open end, a removable closure plug adapted to engage within said end, means secured to said receptacle for retaining said plug in position, a sealing member on the inner side of said plug having a peripheral flange, a packing means between the flange and the plug, and means for drawmg said sealing member towards said plug comprlslng a stem secured to the sealing member and extending axially through the plug and threaded on its outer end and a wheel nut screwed thereon, whereby said packing means will be compressed against the inner wall of the receptacle both by operation of the-wheel nut and by gas pressure generated within the receptacle.

.6. A gmressure vessel for liquefying solid carbon ioxide and the like comprising a tubular receptacle having an open flanged end, a removable closure plug adapted to engage within said endv and having a flange adapted toseat against the flanged receptacle and means associated with the receptacle for retaining said plug in position against pressure from within, a sealing member on the inner side of said lug having a peripheral sealing flange, a pac ing means between said sealing flange and phig, and means for drawing said member toward said plug to compress said packing means a%)ainst the inner wall of the receptacle where y initial escape of gas is prevented as the pressure builds up within, said pressure serving to compress said packing means more as it increases to maintain the closure tight.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALMON J. CORDREY. 

